Indie Game Roundup: Side-Scrollin’

Thursday Triple is a weekly roundup of Indie Games from around the Net.

A beautiful assortment to brighten your day. Best of luck to these Kickstarters as we wish them along their way.

Jenny LeClue

By Mografi

Ah coming-of-age stories. A small part of us, at some point or another, will reminisce of a time when we didn’t have to pay taxes. For me, I can recall a multitude of awkward situations sprinkled with childhood terror (big dogs were extra big at the time), though through it all was a pervading sense of boredom. The best part about growing up was the end when I could finally leave my parents’ house on my own terms. Maybe that’s why I never cared much for these stories.

I mean look at Jenny LeClue. She’s out there solving murder mysteries at the time when I sat around feeding grass to my neighbour’s rabbit. Not only is she accomplishing more (granted, in a much scarier world), but she does it in great style to boot!

All jokes aside, Jenny LeClue is a fantastically well illustrated piece. It’s far from linear too as the devs plan on making it a game as much about player choice as it is telling a captivating story.

Aegis Defenders

By GUTS Department

Technology as magic! As our society chugs along at its breakneck speed, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t at least heard Arthur C. Clarke’s third law once.

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

It serves as the basis for many science-fiction series, and who hasn’t thought of how hilarious it’d be to bring back a smartphone to the days of typewriters. Surely we wouldn’t abuse our technological advances to subdue the lesser-evolved peons?

Alas, while you and I may be paragons of our respective communities, the same can’t be said for all the others who would jump at the opportunity to exploit the general populace of simpletons. That’s what has happened in Aegis Defenders, anyway.

A tactical platformer with a mixture of exploration and tower defence, it’s a definite recommendation for any fans of the genre.

Jotun

By Thunder Lotus Games

And what better way to wrap this roundup up than with a healthy dose of Norse mythology. For warriors who have done their part and died heroically in combat, they can expect to enter Valhalla, a place of rest before Ragnarök destroys us all. Unfortunately, things aren’t that easy for our protagonist as she’ll have to prove herself to the Gods to make up for meeting a most unworthy end.

It’s all about the combat in Jotun. Instead of earning experience and optimizing stats, fighting will require good reflexes to react and adapt to enemies. There’s lots to discover with plenty of puzzles to solve. And I must say, the music is pretty great too, especially if you’re looking for something atmospheric.

the author

Executive Editor of ManaPool. A student of game design, Amber is currently writing from the frozen north that is Canada. She has a penchant for tactical team-based games and a particular taste for theorycrafting. Want to discuss community and player experience? Talk to her!